Oh, hey. Illinois Republican Senator Mark Kirk tried to make a joke. That’s — that’s odd. Why do these dudes think they can make jokes? Don’t they have supportive family members or colleagues or close friends to gently take them aside and say, “Senator Mark Kirk, my man, you’re surprisingly OK for a Senate Republican… »6/11/15 3:35pm 6/11/15 3:35pm

Tammy Duckworth, first female double amputee in the Iraq war, first Asian-American woman elected to represent Illinois in the House, and, most recently, first-time mom, has announced that she's mulling a run for Senate in 2016. For followers (or rueful watchers) of both Illinois and national politics, this is very… »1/19/15 4:50pm 1/19/15 4:50pm

For the first time since 1996, the US Senate is poised to actually vote on the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, a piece of legislation that aims to make it illegal for employers to discriminate against employees based on their sexuality or gender identification. It's all very inspiring, and a testament to how far… »11/04/13 7:40pm 11/04/13 7:40pm

Last night, the Powers that Be gathered in Washington DC for the annual Nerd Oscars— the President's State of the Union address. There were ties in primary colors, John Boehner's aggressively orange skin, that hug between the President and Gabrielle Giffords that made everyone cry, plenty of clapping, and more… »1/25/12 12:00pm 1/25/12 12:00pm